Ukraine, UK foreign offices announce Ukraine Reform Conference in London on July 6

The foreign offices of Ukraine and the United Kingdom have announced the Ukraine Reform Conference to be hosted by London on July 6.

"On July 6, 2017 the UK jointly with Ukraine will host a major international conference in London on reform in Ukraine. [The] key topic is 'Ukraine is changing,'" Ukraine's Ministry of Foreign Affairs tweeted on July 5.

In its announcement of the event, the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office said, in turn, that the conference will bring together Ukraine and its international partners to strengthen support for reform.

"A modern, stable, prosperous Ukraine is in the interests of everyone," it said in an announcement of the event. The Ukrainian side will be represented by Ukrainian Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin and Ukrainian Prime Minister Volodymyr Groysman, who is leading a group of other Ukrainian government officials.

"When we jointly with our British partners generated an idea of holding this conference, we wanted to unite all of our most dedicated partners around the support of Ukraine. And I am very grateful to my British counterpart, Boris Johnson, who has made this idea a reality and whose position in Ukraine's support has remained unchanged since he took over from Mr Philip Hammond," Klimkin wrote in his comment titled "Why are We Going to London to Speak about Reforms," posted on the news outlet Evropeiska Pravda on July 5.

"Ukraine is really fortunate to have such two friends heading the British Foreign Office. The United Kingdom has been and continues to be among the most loyal supporters and allies of Ukraine," Klimkin said.

Klimkin listed three practical tasks set up before Ukraine at the London conference. First of all, this is an opportunity to sum up the results of the reforms Ukraine has already implemented. "[We should] do this honestly, in the eyes of the international community and jointly with them," he wrote.

Secondly, this will be a new platform for establishing practical cooperation with Ukraine's partners. "In fact, it is a practical tool for a crystallization and coordination of the needs of Ukraine and its allies," he said.

Thirdly, this event is aimed at outlining Ukraine's common future with Europe. "It should help understand how a democratic and successful Ukraine will contribute to the success of the entire European project," he said. "The criteria for the success of reforms are neither declarations nor assurances from Ukraine, neither ratings nor statistics.

The criteria of the success are the tangible results seen by investors, businesses and citizens," he added. What is more, announcing Groysman's participation in the London conference on Twitter on July 4, Ukraine's Embassy in the UK said that the medium-term plan of action of Ukraine's government designed until 2020 will be presented at the event. Groysman is also scheduled to hold a number of bilateral meetings, in particular, with UK Prime Minister Theresa May, ministers of the UK government, President of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development Suma Chakrabarti, and members of the British parliament.

The Ukrainian prime minister will also speak at the EBRD Board of Directors and attend the Ukrainian Investor Day international investment conference. A meeting with the Ukrainian community in the UK is also on the agenda of his visit to that country. As UNIAN reported earlier, the UK Embassy in Kyiv said in the middle of June 2017 that the UK is a strong supporter of reform in Ukraine, which is why it is hosting the Ukraine Reform Conference in London on July 6.

"Reform of the Ukrainian judicial system is a crucial part of the Ukrainian Government's programme. The Ukraine Reform Conference will offer a further opportunity for the Government of Ukraine to demonstrate commitment to real progress in reforming the judicial system and further tackling corruption," it said.